1 What form is "We Real Cool" written in? Pantoum Free verse with rhyming couplets Sonnet Ode 2 How many syllables are in each punctuated phrase in stanzas 1-4? 3 5 4 2 3 What is the setting? The streets of South Side Chicago A community pool The players' school The Golden Shovel Pool Hall 4 In what collection was the poem originally published? We Real Cool In the Mecca The Bean Eaters Annie Allen 5 How many players are there? We are not told exactly how many players there are 7 8 5 6 What is the significance of the verb "lurk" to the players? The players describe themselves as lurking because girls think they are creeps. The players use the word "lurk" because it starts with an "l" like "late." The players describe themselves as lurking because they feel out of place in most places. The players use the word "lurk" because it ends with a hard "k" sound like "strike." 7 Where are the players supposed to be while they're playing pool? At home, in bed At work In school In a pool hall 8 What is the effect of the rhyming couplets, assonace, and alliteration? The poem adheres to a strict, traditional form. The poem reads with a smooth, rhythmical finesse, like a jazz composition. The poem mimics a famous Romantic poem. The poem mimics the speech of young people. 9 What word(s) did Brooks advise her readers to read softly? We The first two lines The rhyming words The first word of each line 10 How many speaker perspectives are included in the poem? 8 1 3 2 11 What speaker perspectives are present in the poem? The principal of the players' school and a player The observer and the collective voice of the players The observer and the individual voices of the players The owner of the pool hall and a pool player 12 What does the phrase "Strike straight" refer to in the context of the poem? The players' skills in pool The players' ability to punch The players' bowling skills The players' "no nonsense" philosophy 13 What is the name of the pool hall? The Golden Shovel The Cool School The Golden Cool The Gin Joint 14 What area of Chicago inspired Brooks to write the poem? South Side Hyde Park Gold Coast Lincoln Park 15 How many times is the word "We" said in the poem? 1 7 8 9 16 What symbol conveys the self-destructive nature of the players' behavior? The Golden Shovel The liquor bottle The number 7 The pool cue 17 What does the game of pool symbolize in the poem? Friendly competition and extracurricular activity The players' aimlessness Friction in the South Side of Chicago Masculine competition and subversive activity 18 To what genre of music does the poem allude? Folk Jazz Rock R&B 19 What is the purpose of the first speaker perspective to appear in the poem? To empathize with the players To judge the players for their wrongdoing To look through the window of the Golden Shovel To set the scene and introduce the collective voice 20 How many rhyming couplets are there? 4 5 10 3 21 In what tense are the rhyming couplets written? Simple past Present continuous Future perfect Present habitual 22 How do we know the players are school-aged kids? We don't know for sure Because they tell us their age Because they are truants and are supposed to be in school Because it is against the law for them to drink gin 23 When was the poem first published? 1990 1969 1963 1950 24 Which line contains alliteration? Seven at the Golden Shovel We / Jazz June We / Thin gin. We / Die soon. 25 Which line contains assonance and alliteration? We / Lurk late. We / Sing sin. We / Thin gin. We / Die soon.
